Veneer, and method of cutting the same



June 28, 1960 K. MEISSNER 2,942,636

VENEER, AND METHOD OF CUTTING THE SAME Filed Feb. 27, 1958 fm eman' KURTMEISSNER Pa tent Aqeiz i United States Patent The invention relates to amethod of obtaining wooden veneers from rough logs cut to length, andfurther relates to the veneer itself which when out according to theinvention will have a decorative grain surface structure.

Veneers are generally produced from logs by cutting the same in parallelplanes parallel with respect to the axis of the log, the veneerscomprising a plurality of I sheets of the desired thickness. Theindividual veneer sheets, thus obtained, are of difieren't width, i'.e.the veneer sheets out near the perimeter are relatively narrow, whilethe center sheets have the greatest width. The operator selects fromthese different veneer sheets those of similar grain design and orientsthem in a suitable way to obtain the desired veneer surface area.

It has also been known to produce veneers by peeling or cutting a logspirally, by advancing a cutting tool inwardly in a directionsubstantially normal to the circumference of the log, said cutting toolor knife extending parallel to the axis of the log. In this case, aveneer is obtained, the width of which equals the length of the log,while the length of the veneer may amount to many yards depending on thelength of the spiral cutting path and the thickness of the veneer layer.

Finally, it has been known to longitudinally divide a log into aplurality of sectors and to support and rotate each sector about an axisof rotation which is adjacent to and parallel with respect to the centeraxis of the logs, and wherein individual veneer arcs rather thancontinuous, spirally peeled veneers are cut concentrically with respectto the axis of rotation of the sector. In a similar manner a whole logcan be cut into individual veneer arcs about an axis of rotationparallel with the axis of the log, but offset to a location near thesurface of the log.

In contrast to the first mentioned veneer-producing method, in which theannual growth rings of the log are cut at angles of varying degrees, thelog is concentrically cut, when rotated about its center axis, wherebythe grain design is less emphasized than in case of the first mentionedparallel-plane cutting method. If the log or sector thereof iseccentrically clamped and rotated during cutting, as described in theforegoing, the annual rings are cut at varying angles, butnon-continuous veneers are produced.

It is an object of the invention to divide a log longitudinally into atleast two sectors, to shape these sectors into billets of substantiallycircular cross section and then to obtain a continuous veneer by cuttingthese billets spirally about longitudinal axes located in the centers ofthe billets. For example, the thickness of the veneer may be selected toapproximately .01 inch. Thus, the annual rings of the billets will becut, according to the invention, at difierent angles, so that graindesigns are obtained which otherwise could only be produced by the abovementioned parallel-cut method. In other words, the grain designs of thenew veneers are somewhat similar to those obtained when assembling aplurality of the smaller veneer sheets obtained by the parallel-cutmethod.

2,942,63fi Patented June 28, 1960 The great advantage of the new methodis that the veneer produced thereby forms a continuous sheet equallinginwidth the length of the billet, which advantage is also present in theknown spiral cuttingmethods; but these methods lack the cut at varyingangles to the grain rings.

The loss of material due to waste occurring when the sectors arerounded, i.e. shaped to the form of circular billets, is ratherinsignificant in view of the great advantage obtained by the productionof the very long veneer sheets, for example of only .012 inch thickness,making the method according to' the invention highly economical.

It is another object of the invention to provide a wooden veneer having,due to the different cutting angles of the annual grain rings, a lowerinner tension than the known veneers obtained by spiral-cutting of awhole log. There fore, the new sheets can be more easily applied tofurni ture or other pieces to be veneered.

It is a furtherobject of the invention to omit from the spiral-cuttingthe normally knotty center part of the log,- in order to obtain a veneerabsolutely free of knots as required for flawless pressing and glueing.W

It is a still further object of the invention to glue the veneer onpaper or another base, os as to obtain a veneer material suited in asuperior manner for application to furniture, building boards, etc.

Still further objects and the entire scope of applicability of thepresent invention will become apparent from the detailed descriptiongiven hereinafter; it should be understood, however, that the detaileddescription and specific examples, while indicating preferredembodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only,since various changes and modifications Within the spirit and scope ofthe invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from thisdetailed description.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates a cross section through one half of a log and shows acircle indicating one billet to be cut therefrom, said billet beingadapted to be subsequently cut spirally to obtain a long continuousveneer sheet.

Fig. 2 is a cross section through a quarter of a log with a billetindicated as in the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates a cross section through a whole log With a pluralityof billets indicated as in Figs. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a sheet of veneer cut according to themethod of the invention, wherein the thickness of the materials isexaggerated with respect to the other dimensions of the piece.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1, one half of a log 1, obtained bylongitudinally dividing a whole log parallel to its axis, has aplurality of annual grain rings 2 running approximately concentricallywith respect to one another. The half of the log is to be shaped to forma billet 3 of circular cross section having a diameter d. This billet 3is subsequently cut spirally along the dashed line 13 of Fig. 1 toobtain a long and continuous veneer sheet for example, of .012 inchthickness.

Fig. 2 relates to an embodiment according to the invention, in which aquarter 4 of the log is obtained, said quarter 4 being then shaped to abillet 6 of a diameter d, which, in turn, is to be spirally cut to aveneer in the same Way as the embodiment of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 illustrates how a cross section of a whole log 10 can be dividedinto a plurality of, Le. six, billets 7 with diameter d" which are to bespirally cut to veneers as in the foregoing embodiments. Thisarrangement of billets permits the discarding of the knotty centerportion or core within the circle 9.

Obviously, the annual grain rings 2, 5 and 14 in the billets 3, 6 and 7of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, respectively, are angularly intersected by thespiral cuts, and a decorative and continuous veneer is thus obtained.

sheet 11 glued on a base or backing 12 of paper, card- 7 T 5 woodenveneers, comprising the steps of: dividing a log whichpis to bediscarded.

. a 3 q a The 'veneer sheet of Fig. 4 manufactured according to theinvention, for example from the billets 3, 6 or 7,

shown in Figs. 1, 2 or 3, respectively, comprises a veneer board orother suitable material. i

iIclairm :1. The method 'of cutting a log and the like to obtain 7'wooden veneers, comprising the steps of: dividing a log 7 having alongitudinal central axis into at least two sectors,

' 4. Theinethod according to claim 3, wherein six sectors are selectedaroundsaid, central core and divided from the log. 7

5. The method of cuttinga log and the like to obtain having alongitudinal central axis into at least two sectors, thereafter shapingat least one of said sectors into at least one elongatedbillet-ofsubstantially circular cross section having -alongitudinalcentraLaxis-cwhich is nonthereafter shaping at least one ofsaid sectors intoat 10 coincident'with said longitudinalcentral-axis ofsaid log,

least one elongated billet of substantially circular cross sectionhaving a longitudinal'central axis which is noncoincident with saidlongitudinal central axis of said log,

then, cutting each billet spirallyifrom its peripheral surfaceinwardlytoward its central'axis to define a relatively thin continuous veneersheet; the width of which is substantially equal to the'length of saidelongated'billet and possessing decorative grain designs. 1 a

, 2'. The method, according to 'claim 1, wherein 'said sectors areformed when said logv is divided into four quarters which are thenshaped to -form said billets and subsequently cut into veneers spirallyfrom its peripheral surface inwardly toward its central axis. 7

- "3. The method a'ccordin'g to claim 1 wherein said log is dividedinto-a plurality of sectorstwith the billets formed therefrom each lyingoutside of a central core the-growth rings ofisaid 'elongated billetextending'transversely to its peripheral-surface;and-'tliencutting eachbillet spirallyirom itsperipheral surface inwardly toward its centralaxisat' varying 'angles'to said transversely 15 extendinggrowthffring's' to"d'efine"a relatively thin continuous veneer sheet,the width of which is substantially equal to the length of saidelongated billet and possessing decorative Y 7 p b 7 References vCitedin the-file of this. patent Q I i U T T 5 PKT NT a r 1,841,544 Merritt-'Jan. 19, 1932 1,877,013, fMoor'e Sept. 13, 1932 25 2,012,403 ReimannAug. 27, 1935 2,044,230 7 pseib r- June 16,1936 2,261,497 Hill Nov. 4,1941 2,680,457

' Kakuklet al. June 8,1954

with-vac,

